Werewolf by Night Vol 1 1
| cover date = September, 1972 | cover price = | publisher = Marvel Comics | editor-in-chief = Roy Thomas | writers = Gerry Conway | pencilers = Mike Ploog | inkers = Frank Monte | cover artists = Mike Ploog | colorists = | letterers = John Costanza | editors = Roy Thomas | previous = | next = ''Werewolf by Night'' #2 }} "Eye of the Beholder" is the first issue of the Werewolf by Night comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series continues the three issue story-arc chronicled in issues #2-4 of the anthology title ''Marvel Spotlight'' and features the character of teenager-turned-werewolf Jack Russell and his supporting cast of characters. This issue was written by Gerry Conway with pencils and cover art illustration by Mike Ploog. It was inked by Frank Chiaramonte, lettered by John Costanza and edited by Roy Thomas. It was published with a September, 1972 cover date and had a cover price of .20 per copy. Plot Due to the actions of a mutant gorgon named Marlene Blackgar, the Werewolf has been turned into solid stone. However, as the sun rises, he transforms back into flesh and blood (as well as back into Jack Russell). Buck Cowan finds Jack on the beach, and brings him back to his house. Jack tells Buck that he still possesses the Darkhold. As the two talk, Jack receives a frantic telephone call from Lissa. She arranges to meet up with him at Buck's place. Little does Jack realize that Marlene is forcing Lissa to set Jack up. She wants to regain the dark grimoire for herself. Marlene, Strug and her invalid father, Miles, find Jack and manage to capture him. Jack succeeds in escaping just as the moon begins to rise. He races away from the Blackgar home, leaving Buck and Lissa still captive. Turning into the werewolf, he circles back and enters the castle. He engages in a brutal struggle with Strug, and Marlene fires her gun at both of them. Strug takes the fatal hit and falls over dead. Facing Jack, Marlene removes her sunglasses intent on turning him back into stone. The werewolf lunges out of the way, and Marlene accidentally catches her own reflection in a wall-mounted mirror. Both her father and she are instantly turned to stone. Buck Cowan takes possession of the "statues" and donates them to the Santa Monica Art Museum. Expanded synopsis , the living statue.]] Jack Russell, in werewolf form, has been turned to stone by the mutant daughter of Miles Blackgar, Marlene. Left on display outside the re-assembled Russoff Castle that once belonged to his father, Jack is trapped, immobile and left alone with nothing but his thoughts. Channeling through the haze of being a werewolf, Jack recalls that it was his search for his father's elusive mystic tome, the Darkhold, that led him to seek out the Blackgars. As the rage of the werewolf begins to wash over him, Jack is relieved to realize that it is now morning. Transforming back into human form, also releases him from Marlene's spell and he collapses to the ground completely normal. Jack's newfound acquaintance, Buck Cowan finds him and helps him up. He asks if Jack had any luck finding the Darkhold and Jack replies, "Briefly... yep." Buck helps him to his feet and the two make their way back to the castle. They find Blackgar's library, and Jack recovers the book. They hear voices coming from a nearby window and when they look outside, they find Marlene Blackgar speaking with her father's brutish henchman, Strug. Strug tells her that the Darkhold is gone and Marlene is in disbelief. He adds that the only thing he found in the library was a scent - a "scent like before". Marlene takes this to mean that Jack Russell somehow escaped. Having heard enough, Jack and Buck decide that it is high time to make their escape. They leave the castle and run through the woods towards the shoreline where Buck has managed to hire a seaplane to take them back to the mainland. ]] They get back to Buck's place off Venice Boulevard and they begin perusing his father's book. Buck mentions that he learned a smattering of Latin back in his college days and might be able to make out some of the passages. Jack suddenly recalls that it had been some time since he last spoke with his sister, Lissa. He calls her on the telephone, but Lissa is in a state of panic. She frantically tells Jack that she needs to speak with him right away. She agrees to come over to Buck's place as soon as possible. Lissa puts the telephone back in its cradle. Behind her are her stepfather Philip Russell as well as Miles Blackgar, Marlene Blackgar and Strug. Marlene tells Philip again how Jack had stolen something very personal to her and that she intends on following Lissa to Buck's place to retrieve it. If Jack returns the book willingly, she will not press charges for the theft. Philip completely supports her decision. A short time later, all four of them arrive at Buck's place. Strug uses his mammoth strength to bash in the front door. Buck charges at him, but Strug easily overpowers him, sending Buck sprawling with a sharp punch to the jaw. Jack takes a chair and smashes it across Strug's back. Marlene brandishes a revolver, forcing everyone in the room to settle down. Strug wheels around and gets Jack in a sleeper hold. Marlene tells Jack how she once despised her father for cursing her with her gorgon eyesight, but now, seeing him broken and an invalid, she wants only to help him. She believes the Darkhold holds the key towards healing Miles Blackgar. As she finishes her statement, Jack passes out. Hours later, Jack awakens just as the sun is going down. He looks towards the patio where he sees that Marlene has had Buck and Lissa tied to chairs. He hears her speaking to Strug indicating that they have not yet found the Darkhold. He looks to the side where he sees Miles Blackgar trying to signal the others that Jack is awake. Jack kicks the old man's wheelchair and it rolls into Strug. Desperate to escape the house before the metamorphosis begins, Jack brushes past Marlene, slamming her against the wall and goes to the patio doors. Lissa calls out to him, but he dares not answer. He runs deep into the woods over a mile until coming to a pond. At this point, the change begins to overtake him. Jack wonders if Marlene's curse will resume and that he will turn into a werewolf of solid, unmoving stone. Jack changes, but he is not a stone statue, but free to prowl and to hunt. Instinctively, he pads back towards Buck's house. vs. Strug.]] The werewolf leaps across the patio and pounces on Strug. Though dimwitted, Strug recalls this creature as the one who freed him. However, he is oath-bound to obey Marlene's commands and he knows that she wants him to kill the werewolf. He grabs Jack by the ankle and smashes him into the furniture. Jack swings upon a chandelier and hurls himself down the upper level steps, landing on top of Strug. Marlene and her father come into the room to witness the spectacle. She decides to take measures into her own hands and fires her gun. However, instead of hitting the werewolf, she hits Strug. Strug doesn't understand anything that is going on and slowly falls to the floor and dies. Frustrated at having once again failed to kill Jack Russell, Marlene Blackgar takes off her glasses and trains her gaze at him. The werewolf feels his body begin to stiffen and steps out of the way of her gaze. Behind him is a large standing mirror. Marlene's power reflects off the glass back onto her, transforming both her father and she into living stone statues. The werewolf, understanding that the immediate threat is now over, pads out of the house into the forest. The following afternoon, Jack makes his way back to Buck's place. Lissa is still there and she suppresses the desire to tell Jack about her encounter with the werewolf. Buck asks where Jack hid the journal and Jack shows him that he had it tucked away inside of a box of Corn Flakes. Afterward, Buck tells him that they must go to the Santa Monica Art Museum for the first exhibition of Buck's gracious donation - the statues of Marlene and Miles Blackgar. Appearances Featured Characters: * Jack Russell Supporting Characters: * Buck Cowan * Lissa Russell * Philip Russell Villains: * Miles Blackgar * Marlene Blackgar * Strug Creatures: * Werewolves * Mutants * Wolves Locations: * California :* Los Angeles :* Russell beach house :* Santa Monica :* Venice Beach :* 2394 Venice Boulevard * Pacific Ocean * Blackgar Island :* Blackgar Castle Items: * The Darkhold Vehicles: * Buck Cowan's seaplane Notes & Trivia * This issue was reprinted in ''Essential Werewolf by Night'', Volume 1. * Job number: 938Z * The tagline for this issue is "Full Moon Rise -- Werewolf Kill!" * Fictional mascot Irving Forbush is credited as "stone-cutter" in this issue. * Inker Frank Chiaramonte is credited as "Frank Monte" in this issue. * This issue takes place over the course of two days (the second and third nights of the full moon). * Jack Russell appeared last in ''Marvel Spotlight'' #4. * Buck Cowan appeared last in ''Marvel Spotlight'' #4. * Lissa Russell appeared last in ''Marvel Spotlight'' #4. * Philip Russell appeared last in ''Marvel Spotlight'' #4. * Final appearances for Marlene Blackgar (turned to stone in this issue); Miles Blackgar (turned to stone in this issue); Strug (dies in this issue) See also External Links * Werewolf by Night #1 at MDP * Werewolf by Night #1 at Comics.org * Werewolf by Night #1 at Comic Vine * Werewolf by Night #1 at Comicbookdb.com ---- Category:1972 comic book issues Category:September, 1972 comic book issues Category:Chronologized Category:Issues with plot summaries